Beginning of December...

I'm chugging on here and our next batch of stories come from the beginning of December. As soon as our Thanksgiving guests left, Christmas came to our house, as did the annual fight with the Christmas tree (lights really). They were not going down easy this year and in the end we ended up cutting off the pre-lit strands and replacing them with new ones, after years of replacing different sections of strand every couple of weeks. 

I had some helpers.

They held it together long enough to put a few, carefully chosen ornaments on the tree.

I'm quite fond of the nativity my mother-in-law gave me a few years ago.

They were in deep thought.

Our finished product.

Next up, the Fire Department ceremony for those who have been recently promoted... 

I was on hand to pin on Alan's new Lieutenant badge.

A couple of days later we needed a quick escape and went up to Berry Springs Park, just north of us. The park was formerly a privately owned pecan orchard. They recently acquired a second donkey and the boys enjoyed chatting with them. 

Mid-happy dance.

And yelling at them.

Then when one of the donkeys decided to nibble on Alan's jeans, I caught it on video...

And off to the playground...

We were pretty much the only ones there, there were a few people off in the woods, but the park is spread out enough, that you don't really see anyone else. 

Alan walked around with his cup of coffee shaking pecans out of the trees and snacking the whole time... 

He was pretending it was a spaceship.

The trail system at the park recently expanded, so we needed to check that out too...

Finding more pecans.

And a new fire pit area.... 

 The pond had some work done as well. 

They were currently grumpy at me for making them stop for a photo.

A little part of "Berry Springs"

They were having a class. Aaron was teaching, of course, and Adam was listening . It was serious.

The orchard.

The precious goobers.

 Before we left I ran back to the donkey barn area to look around a little more... 

A little more video documentation...